


Something Borrowed

by iwtv



Series: Silverflint from tumblr [4]
Category: Black Sails
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-08-11 16:04:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7899031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwtv/pseuds/iwtv
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Silverflint established relationship, on Marooner Island, post s3</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something Borrowed

James didn’t have to walk far once he reached the beach. It was a cove, just as Madi had said, with an expansive chunk of beige-colored cliff providing a shaded overhang.

John sat against its wall and on a rock, his whole leg crooked at the knee. The boot had been removed and lay at his side. He often took it off when he was alone or with James.

James felt a jab of pain for him regarding the leg; he doubted he’d ever get over it and what had been done to John. He had spent weeks ignoring it, yet as the two of them had grown closer and finally physical with one another James had thought more and more about John’s loss, a part of him wishing he’d been there to stop it from happening.

He pushed such thoughts aside as he approached his quartermaster. John had seen him coming and smiled up at him through his thick beard.

“I knew you’d find me out sooner or later,” he quipped as James sat down beside him.

“Hope I’m not intruding,” he said by way of apology.

“Nonsense,” said John, leaning over for a kiss. James expected a quick peck but received a nice dose of lips and tongue instead. He pulled away smiling. He gazed into John’s azure eyes, feeling like he was home, and John returned the look before they both looked out across the beach and to the sea. They chatted off and on for a while, mostly just enjoying each other’s company and the shade of the cliff. John shifted to get more comfortable and James noticed something not natural on the ground behind his back.

“Is that a book?”

John seemed to flinch, looking contrite.

“Ah, yes. It gets rather loud, as you know, back at the camp. I prefer crashing waves to crashing ale bottles.”

James chuckled, reaching behind John and John moved as if to stop him. James’s brows crinkled.

“Why are you hiding it…?”

James cut off when he had the unmistakable leather-bound book in hand. He breathed out a heavy sigh. He’d kept it on board the Warlus most of the time, fearful he’d loose it, especially since Miranda’s passing. He’d gotten John interested in his other philosophical books, so naturally his partner wouldn’t have thought twice to borrow this one.

“I’m very sorry,” John said in a flurry. “I had no idea it was of a personal nature. I just saw it amidst the rest of your collection and I just took it. I’m sorry.”

John was looking at him wide eyed, desperate to make right his wrong. He knew who T.H. was, no explanation needed anymore.

James carefully sat the book down next to John’s leg, beside his boot.

“It’s all right,” he said quietly. “It’s not a secret anymore. And frankly I don’t want it to be. I don’t wanthim to be a secret, not from you.”

James reached out and wrapped his palm around the curve of John’s neck, thumb caressing his jawline and brushing against his lips. John relaxed, holding James’s hand in place to kiss his palm.

“That makes me happy,” he said with relief. “I just worried Thomas would always be between us in some way, and that I could never fully reach you because of it.”

“I don’t want that to be the case,” replied James, looking at him with his signature intensity. “Whatever fate has in store for us, I want to live it in the present, not the past.”

“I concur,” said John with a slow smile.

They sat there for a while longer before John complained the rocky wall was hurting his back. He put on his boot and James helped him up. John pinned him against the cliff, gently demanding attention and James gladly gave it to him, leaving open-mouthed kisses on his lips and jaw and throat. John’s arms slipped around his waist and pulled him close. James melted into him. Then came the distant sounds of drums that signaled supper time for the tribe’s elders.

James bent down and picked up Meditations. He offered it to John, who looked up at him, confused.

“You can borrow it,” said James, “For as long as you want. I think…I think he would have wanted you to.”

James was surprised at his own words, rolling them around in his mouth to see if they tasted right. John was watching him carefully.

“Truly?” he asked.

James nodded slowly. The old ache throbbed in his chest, but it was dull and tolerable now. Much of its lessening had to do with John, who kissed him again. This time when their eyes locked James was struck by the clear compassion in John ‘s face. He knew. He did not speak it, but he knew James’s words were a hopeful sign.

John gingerly took the book from him and tucked it under his arm, eyes smiling.

“Perhaps one day, I might scribble some initials into a book for someone I love,” he said with a velvet voice, his eyes cast downward.

James couldn’t bring himself to respond, but he was beginning to feel things with a certainty he hadn’t known in nearly a decade. So he nodded and simply whispered “Perhaps.”

It was all he could offer, but luckily John seemed to recognize that and so he simply nodded back. It was enough, for now. And maybe it could never be anything more, but for now, it was enough.


End file.
